With a combination of snowmelt, soils saturation and normal rain fall during the spring months, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture is reminding farmers to check for the risk of runoff from their field before spreading manure on it. A free online tool called the Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast identifies if there is a high or low chance for runoff in your area.
State agricultural officials say spreading manure on fields when there is a high risk of runoff can result in the manure traveling into streams and threaten water quality.
"A good nutrient management plan and SnapMaps can help you determine where to spread and the proper application rate," said DATCP Soil and Watershed Manager Mark Witecha. "The Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast is a decision tool to help you determine when it's safe to spread. Assessing current field conditions is just one step in the process farmers should use to make decisions."
The Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast is available at http://www.manureadvisorysystem.wi.gov/runoffrisk/index. The forecast provides maps showing short-term runoff risk for daily field application planning, taking into account soil saturation and temperature, weather forecast, snow and crop cover, and slope. The National Weather Service updates the forecast three times a day.
Farmers should contact their crop consultants, county land conservation offices or the Department of Natural Resources for help identifying alternatives to high-risk spreading.
Categories: Wisconsin, Crops